Alabama Football: Spring grades for Tide position groups

Alabama Football Defense Spring Grades

Defensive Line – A

As the A-Day game showed the Crimson Tide is crazy deep on the defensive line. Pete Golding and Freddie Roach will able to use them in waves this fall. A few guys missed the spring game, allowing others, like Jah-Marien Latham, to show they can also contribute. Tim Smith has continued his rise this spring. The unit is already solid and will continue to improve. It is possible before the season is over, this unit will be defined as the Crimson Tide’s deepest ever.

Linebacker – A

The second deepest position group for Alabama Football is the linebackers. In the A-Day game, the linebacking groups did not have Christian Harris and Will Anderson Jr. Their absence did not much matter. Reports throughout the spring have complimented the strong play of Anderson, Harris, Jaylen Moody and Drew Sanders. In the spring game, Moody stood out as did Chris Braswell and Deontae Lawson, along with Jackson Bratton.

Secondary – B+

This unit made good progress made progress throughout the spring. As great as Patrick Surtain II was, replacing him is not a major problem. Josh Jobe had a strong spring, as did Jordan Battle. Brian Branch has improved on a good freshman season. Jalyn Armour-Davis and Ga’Quincy McKinstry performed in the A-Day game as guys ready for key roles. Among JAD, Kool-Aid, Branch and others, the Crimson Tide staff will build nickel and dime units into team strengths.

 Special Teams – C+

Based on A-Day, the punters and kickers would get a ‘C-‘ at best. Had Chase Allen not made a 48-yard field goal, the A-Day score for the punters and kickers would be an ‘F’. Charlie Scott was a capable punter last season but did not show it in the A-Day game. Will Reichard was an inexplicable 2-for-5 in the A-Day game. Last season’s ‘perfect’ kicker surely just had a bizarrely bad day.

There is not enough information available to grade punt and kick returners. Sade Bolden did muff a clean catch on a punt that he appeared to lose in the sun on Saturday. Kool-Aid appears to have a chance to earn the punt returner job.

Besides recruiting, the next significant milestone for the Crismon Tide will be the summer arrival of 13 new players. Some of them have a chance to make the two-deep in the fall. Two or three cannot be ruled out for starting roles.